Paradigm of Power
by Winter Yuy
Summary: "The seasonal armor bearers would be the most unique of them all. Most importantly, one of them will save me and the burden I carry. I do not know which of the armored fire born will do it, but one will." [Contains OCs. RyoxMia; RowenxOC; SagexOC; CyexOC; KentoxOC] {Rating appropriate for language and later chapters.}
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** Characters you don't recognize belong to me. Thanks so much. RW/YSY and anything belonging to that universe belongs to _Bandai_.

 **Notes:** I will be using a mixture of Japanese and English names and terms. The translations will be at the end of the chapter along with a profile for each of the new characters.

This story will take place in the current year: 2018. The use of cellphones and laptops and all the other nifty technological advances is something I would like to write with. This story starts in July of 2018. Ryo and most of the others will be 19 or 20. The Guardians will be 18 or 19 with the exception of Mia who is already in her twenties.

This reboot has been over 10 years in the making. I hope you all enjoy it.

Prologue

There was a big flash of light that exploded into blackness. Out of that explosion, the sparkles of light that remained formed a circle. Thus, the galaxy was born…

…OR NOT!

You don't know me, but I know you. I've watched you grow your entire life. From the time you were a mere twinkle in your parent's eyes to the day your spirit left this world and went into the Universal Soul Mirror to be reborn.

My name is The Balance. Who I was is irrelevant. My name is irrelevant. All you need to know is I am very old. Exceptional ancient, actually. I've been around for longer than your galaxy has been around. Matter of fact, your galaxy is the youngest of all in the universe.

Or maybe it's that time is perceived differently in other parts where I'm from. One will never know.

My job is to ensure the forces of good and evil. Not too much on one side or the other. Balanced, so to say.

See the pun there?

Yes, Yes. I know. Get on with it. Being alive for eons tends to have given me a sense of humor most can't understand.

I was given this task when I was barely an adult. I gave up all of my mortal life and sentiments to be this way. I had a wife and children. Once I took the mantle, I watched my wife grow old and wither away. My children and my children's children and their children continued my bloodline, but I was never able to be a part of their life. My name disappeared from my world until all there was left were stories and legends.

As for you, I've watched the life on this planet grow and evolve. I never felt the need to get involved until a parallel universe – The Dynasty – was given a new emperor and lost purpose of their goal. Talpa's ambition and arrogance got the best of him and all he wanted to do was rule and destroy everything.

The Ancient One was given the task of defeating him. When the old man did so, I told him to spilt that nasty armor of Talpa's into nine separate armors blessed with a guiding virtue. Five were ruled by Earthly elements; four by Earthly seasons. Each had a purpose and together could come to form a white armor more powerful than you could imagine. The brilliance gave everyone who looked upon it hope for a new day.

However, with light comes darkness. A natural balance. The yin and yang of life. Thus, the black armor was created. Those two catastrophes weren't bound by a virtue. They were driven on power and war alone. I had them separated so they would never meet again.

But it would eventually happen. I know I won't be able to stop their meeting.

Back to those nine armors.

The bearers of those armors won't come for a long, long time, but I have seen them. Nine warriors driven by the scars and horrors of their past, but that have warrior's spirits that are unmatched.

I was ready to leave the Earth for good until I had this terrible vision. I don't like bad stuff. I like to keep things all cool and smooth.

After the Ancient One separated the armors, I took a piece from each and created counterparts for them. Maybe that isn't the right word. Guardians is probably more appropriate. Armor creation wasn't that big of a deal to me. It was a common art from the world I'm from.

That is the moment the big, mind boggling visions came.

Tons and tons of fighting. I mean, shit loads. You wouldn't believe the things I saw. It would all be because of me. The only positive thing I saw were the eighteen bearers of these armors coming together to defend the inhabitants of Earth.

They would be separated for a long time. All of them coming from different times and eras.

The original bearers of the seasonal armors would come from a feudal era in the future. The female counterparts would be found even later than they and each of them women would come from countries different than their male colleagues.

The seasonal armor bearers would be the most unique of them all.

There will be one girl who will be driven by her faith and unfortunate events that happen to a family member. Two that are related that held family and justice above all else. One girl who will be tormented, but would give up part of her body to save another. One male who will be so well versed with a sword and grace in his heart that wouldn't reveal someone who dishonored himself. Another male who will trust the sea and the life within. Two counterparts that will be driven by their knowledge and not know when to stop digging.

The last two will be born from the same womb. Siblings. I saw two paths for them. One in which they would live together happily without knowing anything of armors or battles. The other, however, was a life of pain and separation. They would be born and bred of fire. Their past would mold who they are, but leave scars deep on their souls that will make them question who they are.

More importantly, one of them will save me and the burden I carry. I do not know which of the fire born will do it, but one will.

Remember that? Good! It will be the job of you and your clan to protect the armors. Some of you will die doing so, but remember that it is for the greater good and salvation of this world. If evil comes in, then life on this planet as you know it will be gone.

"Do you all understand?"

"Yes, Lord Balance."

"Then off you tiny tots go to learn more things to help you be stronger."

The group of a dozen or so children left the hut.

The man known as The Balance pushed aside the woven tapestry to walk into the cool night. A man in a straw hat and staff adorned with a golden piece atop of it approached him.

"Are you finished?"

"Yeah, they know," the Balance patted the other on the shoulder. "Chill out, old man."

"You are older than I."

"But I carry it so much better," the Balanced examined his nails. He looked off into the distance before clearing his throat. "I will depart now. It was good to see you again. You won't see me again in your lifetime, but know that you will accomplish many great things."

The Ancient One nodded his head in acknowledgement of the statement. As The Balance walked away, he stopped and moved his head.

"That girl. The one with the purple hair. She will have a destiny different from any member of your clan. You musn't interfere with it."

With that, he disappeared. Where he went he wasn't for sure. He did know that he wouldn't visit the Earth again for close to a thousand years.


	2. Chapter 1 - The Start

Chapter One

* * *

 _The air was heavy with the scent of blood. The ground had been destroyed by the clash of attacks. The forest surrounding Mt. Fuji had been decimated by the battle._

 _Ryo Sanada turned around in circles. He was confused as to where he was. He didn't remember fighting, but he could see the ramifications of one all around him. He saw his brother's in arms all standing and shaking debris off their respective armor._

 _Suddenly, Ryo felt his virtue of 'righteousness' burn on his forehead. He heard a whisper and turned around sharply. Standing about half a mile from him was a silhouette of a petite young woman with back to him. Her onyx colored hair was tied up in a bun. She slowly turned around._

 _Ryo gasped in shock as he met her glowing, amethyst eyes. She lifted her hand and reached out to him._

" _Ryo."_

 _He started running. Air pumped through his lungs so hard it was even difficult to breathe even with his armor on. The faster he ran the further she got. He didn't care. The further she got the faster he ran._

" _Ryo!"_

 _He panicked. Fire started to surround her. He couldn't run any faster. His legs started to burn from the strain he was putting on his muscles. His eyes stung with unshed tears. She was screaming. He did so in return._

" _Hold on!"_

" _It's hot! So hot!" She started to flail her hands frantically as if trying to make the flames go away. A burst of fire came out of nowhere and engulfed her._

" _Rekino!"_

" _ONIISAN!"_

* * *

Mia Koji was jostled awake by the loud, painful scream ripping through her fiancé's throat. She sat up to find Ryo flailing his arms and legs wildly. She pinned him down and called out to him several times before his bright blue eyes opened.

"Ryo. Ryo," Mia said softly. She cupped his face and massaged his cheeks with her thumbs. His skin was hot and coated in sweat She soothed him with quiets whispers before his eyes settled and were staring into her green ones.

"Mi-Mia?" Ryo sat up slowly and grasped onto her upper arms.

She smiled back at him softly, "What happened?"

Ryo buried his head in Mia's chest and sobbed quietly. She didn't need an answer. She knew what this had all been about. She let him cry as she rocked his body.

* * *

Across the city, Sage Date woke up from the same startling dream. He saw the young woman being burned alive, but he also saw four other young women. He couldn't make out their faces, but only the colors of their hair and some height. The strange part about it was that they were all clad in the same undergear that he and the other Ronin Warriors did.

There was a quiet knock on his bedroom door. He got out of bed and quickly put his clothes on before answering the door.

It was his roommate, Rowen Hashiba. The master of the armor of air looked as if had just rolled out of bed. His blue hair was standing all over the place. He had his dark blue rob wrapped around him.

"You okay, bro?"

Sage rubbed his eyes tiredly, "Yeah. Just a rather nasty and confusing dream."

Rowen's face contorted in confusion and then sadness. He cleared his throat slowly, "What are we looking at here?"

The light element armor bearer shook his head, "Nothing. You don't have to worry."

He let out the breath he had been holding, "Great. I'm only two years away from my master's. I would really like to finish college."

Of course, Rowen Hashiba was going to get his master's degree at the age of twenty-two. That was only the beginning, however, as the Strata Warrior would have two master degree's and a doctorate by thirty. That was the plan, anyway.

"Since you're good, I'm going back to bed," Rowen knocked twice on the doorframe. "We still meeting up with the others tomorrow?"

"I haven't heard otherwise."

The blue haired teen nodded and made his way back to his room.

Sage quietly closed his door and leaned against it. Did he just lie to one of his best friends?

 _Maybe it's for the best. He's so happy these days. So are the others. Ryo and Mia will be getting married soon. I would hate to be the bearer of bad news and make them push their wedding date back further._

Sage removed his clothes and climbed into bed. As he was drifting off to sleep, he was wondered if everything was really going to be okay.

 **One week later…**

"You can't possibly expect me to be able to make this 'meeting'," Mia said into the phone. "You know I have class until six and Ryo and I have our anniversary dinner tonight. It's impossible."

" _Then do your damndest to make it possible. Hana said it was urgent and I damn sure don't know what goes on in her pretty blonde head."_

"I would really rather not have news of an invasion or any sort of new threat," the brunette sad down behind her desk. "You know our wedding is in December. Close to your birthday, actually."

" _Were you high when you decided to get married in winter? It's too cold and shit."_

"We are going to get married at the base of Mt. Fuji. The snow will be a wonderful addition to our wedding pictures. _Maybe_ you and the other girls could come."

Mia heard the person on the other end of the phone laugh in an almost sarcastic tone.

" _Wooo. You're funny. Maybe them, but not me."_

"He had another dream about you last week. It's getting harder and harder for me to keep this charade going. I don't like to see him suffer. He's suffered enough."

" _Like it or not it has to keep going. I don't know what to do yet. Believe me, I would like nothing more than to tell him."_

"He's your older brother, Rekino. You can't keep hiding. Keeping secrets will eventually destroy you…and possibly this whole circle."

" _Just be here tonight and we can talk about this later."_

Mia opened her mother to speak, but the door to her office opened. Ryo peeked his head in and smiled at her affectionately. She collected herself quickly.

"I'll do my best, 'Candace'. I'll talk to you later."

" _Bitch, what-"_

The history teacher hung up her cell phone and placed it on the desk just as Ryo walked in her office. She stood up. They exchanged a quick kiss.

"Hey, you," Mia rested a hand on his upper arm. "I didn't expect to see you so soon."

The Wildfire bearer smiled at his lady, "Kind of a spur of the moment thing. I just wanted to drop by and let you know, Miss Koji, that I am looking forward to our date tonight."

"You could have sent me a text to tell me that."

Ryo shrugged, "Call me old fashioned, then."

"Well, Mr. Sanada, I am to tell you that I am more than excited to spend the evening with you. I do, however, have to tell you that I have class in about fifteen minutes and I have to prepare."

The black haired male seemed like he had trouble processing that information, but smiled affectionately. He leaned down to kiss her, but looked shocked when Mia pulled away and sneezed.

"Oh. I'm sorry," Mia reached for a tissue on her desk. "That came out of nowhere."

"Someone must be talking about you."

Mia looked at her cell phone as if she was cursing it, "I couldn't imagine who."

* * *

"That bitch hung up on me!"

"Who?" came a voice from the kitchen.

"Mia!" The black haired girl smacked her lips annoyingly. "That hoe-heffer!"

"Now, now," a girl with waist length wavy, golden blonde hair came into the room. She handed her roommate the unopened Pepsi, "don't say that. She probably had a good reason."

"Psh," the cola made a hissing sound as it was opened. "Always making excuses for people, Hana. Some people are just assholes."

Hana Utano tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her triple pierced ear. Her midnight blue eyes looked at her best friend unamused.

"Some people aren't all asshole, Rekino."

She shrugged her shoulders. Rekino Sanada crossed her legs and flipped through the channels. Nothing was on. Everything was boring.

"I miss American television."

"TV will rot your brain."

"So will that cell phone."

Hana shrugged nonchalantly, "The radiation theories haven't been proven. My brain is fine. Sharp as ever."

Rekino made a small noise and turned off the television. She took a sip of her drink while looking at the other occupant who was rather interested with something on her phone.

"You gonna tell me what this meeting is about?"

"Yep," the blonde smacked on her chewing gun, "when everyone gets here tonight."

The youngest of the house made a horrible choking sound, "You know I have anxiety and I can't deal with that cryptic shit. It makes me restless."

The sound of footsteps approaching made them both look up. Their third roommate, Josephine Rei Faun, burst into the room. She had a towel around her neck, drying her short hair, and looked as if she had been running.

"Yo, Rekino," the tallest of the group said. "You up for a spar? I just got done working out, but I totes don't feel satisfied."

She responded quickly, "Hell yeah I do. Some people just like to put my nerves on edge." The petite woman shot a nasty look at Hana who shrugged in return.

"You up for it too, blondie?"

"Hmm," the voluptuous woman seemed to ponder the question.

"It's okay, Jo. You know she doesn't wanna mess up those nails she just had done."

Hana looked as if she had been shot, "Bitch. It's on."

Josephine clapped her hands excitedly. Rekino jumped up with a smile on her face. The three walked into the kitchen and outside into the spacious backyard.

Rekino rolled her armor orb between her fingers, "Let's gear up!"

 _Four hours later…_

"Alright, I'm here. Let's make this as quick as possible," Mia appeared on the back porch from the living room. She sat down at the round table. Rekino was feeding the fire more wood as Josephine brought more over from the shed. Hana reached over and gave their comrade a hug.

Amaya Blanchet stood up quietly. She was a mid-height with chin length light brown hair. She kissed Mia gently on the cheek as the two exchanged light conversation in French. Amaya had been born and raised in a small town in France. Mia being part French brought a small joy to her life as she could converse in the language of her homeland.

"Why are you in such a hurry, Teach?" Josephine jumped up on the back porch. She was the tallest of the five which Rekino being the shortest.

"Ryo and I have our anniversary dinner tonight," the brunette started, "and I let my aid lecture my evening class. Also, Ryo and the guys are apparently having the same sort of 'meeting'."

Hana cleared her throat, "I'll get straight to the point. I've had several visions while in meditation the past couple of days. At first they were nothing. Just the images of some sort of stone, but then the stone was surrounded by some sort of energy. Then I started seeing human and humanoid creatures around it. They were fighting, tearing each other apart. In the middle of the fray was us – Ronin's, Warlord's, and Guardian's alike – protecting the stone and its bearer."

Rekino twirled the stick around that she had been using to poke at the fire, "Who?"

"I-I'm not sure. He had white hair. I couldn't see his face."

Mia covered her face with her hands, "Lovely."

Josephine started pacing, "Does this mean we have to fight? We haven't seen actual combat yet."

"I cannot say that I am not upset by this," Amaya's light brown eyes reflected sadness. "I had hoped the day would come where we would never have to use the armor's."

Josephine slammed her fist into her palm, "There is no point in having them unless we use them."

"Honestly," the mistress of the armor of air looked at her comrades, "the armors are more a curse than a blessing. It has caused the guys so much pain."

"That's another issue."

Everyone looked at Hana. The statement hung in the air. They all knew what she had meant.

"How do we go about introducing ourselves to them?"

All five girls were sitting outside on the back patio. The autumn sunset illuminated the sky in an array of colors. The fire pit took the chill out of the air for the quintet.

Mia pondered Amaya's question. The four Lady Guardians had been moved to Toriyama for several months. Their existence as armor bearers was still unknown to the Ronin Warriors.

"We could just pop up outta nowhere and be like, 'What's happenin', cappin'?'."

"This is serious, Rekino," Amaya chastised her friend.

"Psh," the guardian of Wildfire poked at the embers with a stick, "I know that. I'm just trying to lighten the mood. I don't like stressful situations."

Hana took a sip of her Pina Colada, "Josephine could always call up Kento and plan a meeting."

The guardian of Hardrock shook her head frantically, the small wisps of blue hair appeared to be animated as she did so, "No. I haven't talked to him in forever. I mean, last time I saw him was at the family reunion about two years ago."

Mia looked up at the darkening sky. The stars were coming out.

"I don't know what we can do to solve this," the Strata bearer's eyes shifted, "but, Rekino, you need to come out."

Amethyst eyes sparked with amusement, "Yes. I do. I'm here to tell you all that I sexually identify as a worn out left shoe."

"Rekino!"

"She never gets old," Josephine giggle.

Hana ran a hand down her face. Her midnight blue eyes held a small amount of amusement, "Yes, she does."

Rekino twirled the stick around expertly, "You haven't been around me in years, Hana. We've only been living together four months. I'm just getting warmed up."

The eldest of the five snapped her fingers are the young kunoichi, "Guardian business or not, I'm tired of seeing Ryo cry. There are nights it doesn't bother him, but sometimes he wakes up screaming, crying out for you. He's tormented by his memories. I'm going to be your sister in just half a year. I'm asking you not just as a friend or a comrade, but as family."

Silence. Everyone's attention was focused on Rekino. She wasn't moving, her eyes locked on the flames as they licked the burning wood.

"Rekino," Amaya's French accent was soft and caring. "I know it must be painful, but what Mia asks isn't just for Ryo. It's for you, too."

Anger. She let out a short, powerful scream. In her rage, Rekino turned around and punched the porch leaving a hole in the aftermath.

"I know what you're all getting at. Trust me. You think Ryo is plagued with nightmares? I am too! I dream of that night every time I close my eyes. I remember that fire. I can still feel the intense heat of those flames. I can hear Ryo shouting for me. I can still hear the sounds of the boards creaking and the house falling apart. I remember pushing him out of the way. I remember pretty much _dying_ that night.

"Do you guys not fucking think I'm haunted, too? Yeah, I want to see my brother. It's been ten years, but how do I do it? It's not that easy. I don't even know what to do. I don't know what to say! I have so many questions about that night. Why did the damn house set on fire? Who the fuck saved my life? Was it the Ancient One? Oh, we don't know cause he's _dead_! And they only one who could probably answer my question is a bitch who won't even show her face!"

Tears were spilling from her eyes. Heat was radiating from her body. The other four girls watched as Rekino stumbled back and crumbled onto the soft dirt.

"What is our purpose? Why do we have armors? Where did they come from? Why was I separated from my family? For fuck's sake, someone give me some answers to my questions!"

Hana and Mia quickly left their seats. They embraced their friend like she was a small child. Jo and Amaya joined the others on the ground. The Hardrock bearer embraced Rekino from behind as Amaya sat in front of her and took her hands.

"I've got your back if you need someone strong to lean on," Josephine said softly.

The guardian of Wildfire gave a sniffling laugh. She took into a pair of soft, brown eyes.

"Sorry about my language, Amaya."

The French woman smiled softly, "I'll ignore it. You are upset and angry."

The guardian of Halo kissed the top of her friend's soft, ebony hair, "We are all here for you, Rekka-chan. Tell us what we can do."

"I don't know."

Amaya cleared her throat, "Let us pray together."

"'Mya," Rekino coughed, "you know I'm not really religious."

"Religion doesn't matter as long as our hearts are one."

A moment of silence. The others nodded and lowered their heads. Amaya's grip on Rekino's hands tightened.

"Heavenly Father, we come before you humbled, but not defeated…"

* * *

"So, you think that this is some precursor to battle?"

Sage's elbows here propped up on the table, his hands threaded together in front of him. He looked around and met the concerned eyes of all of his friends, "The first vision I had didn't faze me, but the dreams have been continuous for the past week. Each one more vivid than the other."

Rowen crossed his legs, leaning back into the chair. He stroked his chin in thought, "And you say this man's name is 'The Balance'?"

"That is all I heard."

Cye Mouri appeared like he was already half defeated. The thought of having to fight again wasn't something he wanted to do or relished in; regardless, he looked at his friend.

"What about the other armors you saw?"

"Yeah!" Kento Rei Faun stomped his food. "That's what I want to know!"

Ryo patted Kento on his back, "Calm down. We're all a little on-edge."

Sage sighed, "I didn't get a good look at them, but I can definitely tell you that they were something I've never seen."

"Has anyone contacted or heard from Kayura?" Rowen asked.

"No, but not for lack of trying."

Ryo chewed on his bottom lip in thought. He didn't know what was going on, but his gut was telling him to not ignore this. His tiger blue eyes look to the wall on his right at picture of himself and Mia during the past New Year's Eve. They were dressed in traditional kimonos. The mask of a cat rested on the side of her head and her brunette hair had been braided. Looking at that picture tugged on his heart.

He wasn't going to let anything happen to her. He knew it would break her heart if she heard the news of a new possibly threat. He determined he would have to keep this a secret. Their wedding was the most important thing in his life.

He just hoped that whatever this new enemy was they would be taken down swiftly.

The full moon hung high in the sky shining light down onto the city. The fog hung low in the crisp autumn air. The streets of Toriyama weren't busy at this early hour of the morning.

Three figures appeared atop of the high building in the city. A man of exceptional height stood in the middle flanked by a woman on each side. His eyes scanned over the buildings in the city.

"We must find the crystal before the anyone else. The power must come back to us."

"Yes, sire!"

"My lord."

The three disappeared by a blanket of fog.

* * *

 _Translations:_

Rekka – Wildfire  
Tenku – Strata  
Korin – Halo  
Suiko – Torrent  
Kongo – Hardrock  
Oniisan – Older brother  
Rekka-chan - Little Wildfire

* * *

 **Name:** Sanada Rekino  
 **Alias:** Candace Askea  
 **Age:** 18  
 **Height:** 4'11"  
 **Weight:** 120lbs  
 **Hair color:** Black, ankle length  
 **Eye color:** Amethyst purple  
 **Ethnicity** : Japanese  
 **Birthdate:** December 18  
 **Birthplace:** Yamanashi  
 **Astrological sign:** Sagittarius  
 **Blood Type:** O-  
 **Favorite Sport:** Track, Volleyball  
 **Martial Art:** Ninjutsu (Taijutsu [open hand combat] and Hensojutsu [disguise and impersonation] master)  
 **Interests:** Martial arts, reading, early morning jogs, reading  
 **Dislikes:** Bugs (mostly spiders), being woken up early, the cold  
 **Language:** English, Japanese, Spanish, some Chinese, some French  
 **Armor:** Lady Wildfire/Lady Rekka  
 **Virtue:** Righteousness  
 **Family:**  
Father: professional wildlife photographer.  
Mother: Died when Rekino was very young.  
Ryo: Older brother. She has been separated from him since she was eight.  
Renée: Adoptive step mother.  
Keith: Adoptive step father.  
Kitty: Her eight-year-old, Scottish Fold Munchkin cat.

Rekino's family, the Sanada, was a famous ninja clan. Rekino has never met them since her father, the heir, left the family because he disliked the strict conventions the family kept. Since the age of eight, Rekino has been separated from her family when her home caught on fire. She was rescued by an unknown entity and suffered memory loss until she was thirteen. She was placed in foster care, but only for a short time. She was adopted by an American couple and given the name "Candace" due to her amnesia. While in the system she was referred to as "fiery girl" because of her explosive temper and violent behavior.

Rekino received her yoroi when she was almost fourteen years old. She was on her way home from school when she saw some street kids set a small building on fire and throw some stray animals inside. When she ran inside to save the animals that is when the kanji 'JIN' appeared on her forehead and absorbed the fire, forming her undergear. The acquiring of the yoroi caused her memories to return.

Rekino's red yoroi is Lady Rekka, Wildfire, and draws power from any fire source. She has two katanas, Rekka Ken, that are sheathed on her side. His special attack is "Tornado Fire Flare". She crosses her katanas across her chest, swipes out to the left and right of both sides, and the two beams crisscross towards the target like a sine wave.

When she was seventeen she returned home one night and she was greeted by an old childhood friend, Hana Rai-Utano, bearer of the yoroi Lady Korin (Halo), who told her it was time to gather her things and return to her true home. Hesitant, Rekino talked to her adoptive parents and Hana and agreed to leave and return to Japan, but only after she graduated high school.

Rekino has a very tomboyish attitude and dresses to fit the part. She is normally seen in a pair of jeans or "yoga" pants, any t-shirt with a sarcastic saying on it, and tennis shoes or a pair of sandals. Her unruly black hair reaches all the way down to her ankles. She usually keeps it wrapped in a bun, a high ponytail, or braided.

She practices several martial arts including ninjutsu, which is the style of her family. She started practicing when she was 10 years old. Rekino is very nimble and lithe. Because of her extensive background in martial arts, she is able to accomplish things most people cannot.

 **Notable facts:**

1\. She is addicted to caffeine – coffee, soda, etc.  
2\. She hates being so short, but uses it to her advantage.  
3\. She can use anything as a weapon.  
4\. She is much stronger than she looks.  
5\. Her favorite dessert is any kind of cake.  
6\. She likes to put on headphones and lose herself in music.  
7\. She has an IQ of 145 and graduated high school 15th in her class.  
8\. Her least favorite subject is history.  
9\. She wants to be a doctor.  
10\. She loves to cuddle and give hugs.


	3. Chapter 2 - Rekino

**dis-claim'er** , noun: a denial or disavowal of legal claim **:** relinquishment of or formal refusal to accept an interest or estate; b **:** a writing that embodies a legal disclaimer; c: _a statement made to save one's on ass_.

* * *

Chapter 2: Rekino

* * *

Rekino awoke in a field of flowers. She looked around trying to see if she could locate exactly where she was. Was this even Japan?

Suddenly, the air crackled with power. The skies became dark. Life was drained from everything around her. She felt a surge of power surge through her body. A feeling of warmth over took her as her armor covered her body. Was Lady Wildfire trying to protect her? And if so, from what?

She heard a whisper and turned around quickly. Standing in the middle of the barren field was a man. He was tall, well over six feet. His hair was a brilliant blue and white color that went down to his shoulder blades. She could see his pointed ears from the outline of his hair.

He was looking at her with some sort of intensity that she had never seen before. Suddenly, it was as if her armor was pulling her towards him. She couldn't stop herself. As she got closer, she noticed his lips were moving, but all she could hear was the whisper of the wind.

"Who are you?"

His lips continued to move.

"Hey, man. I see you, but I don't have any audio."

She screamed when he grabbed her by the arms. She tried to struggle, but he was strong. Physical stronger than anyone she had encountered, even Josephine in her armor. She struggled to get out of his grasp, but he leaned down closer to her.

His eyes. She was mesmerized by them. They were like some sort of crystalline blue. It was as if she could see the whole universe in them. Then, she heard it. It was a faint whisper.

" _Save me. Save…the power..."_

"What power? Are you delusional?"

He kissed her. It was out of nowhere. Images flashed through her mind like they were a slideshow. She saw destruction, bloodshed, and death. So much death it made her nauseous. She saw her friends lying amongst the corpses. Then, a bright flash of light destroyed the image. It was replaced by a scene of serenity and love. All the armor bearers were together in the Dynasty celebrating. She was shocked to see herself in the gentle embrace of her brother.

The connection was broken. Rekino just stared blankly into his eyes.

" _Two futures. Help me preserve humanity, little one."_

Everything was gone. Rekino felt herself falling into nothingness. She reached out towards the image of the man. He was replaced by the image of her brother. He was beaten and bloody.

"Ryo…"

She kept falling as tears streamed from her eyes.

* * *

"NOOOO!"

Rekino shot up so quickly she fell out of her bed. The cold floor brought her back to reality. She looked around her room as if it was the first time she was there. _Compose_! She thought to herself. She took in her surroundings and concentrated on her breathing. Finally, her heartbeat slowed and she steadied herself.

 _You're in your room. You're in your pajama's. You're safe._

She slowly got on her feet. She glanced at her bed side table. Her cell phone was plugged up and at 100%. Her armor orb laid beside it. Her alarm clock flashed in big red letters 0400. It was four in the morning. She sat down on the bed slowly. She clicked her bedside lamp on to give the room some illumination.

Weapons adorned her wall. Swords, sais, and a polearm. Next to it was a bookshelf with some of her favorite fiction books. There was a book written by Masaaki Hatsumi, the current Ninja Grandmaster of the Bujinkan Dojo and the master of all the art of the nine schools. There were several pictures on her wall of her family and her with the Guardians. A chest of drawers was on the far right of her room on the wall. Above that was a sword she was gifted by her adoptive parents.

 _Mom. Pops._

She had been named Candace Askea. Her adoptive parents never hid the fact that she had been adopted, but they loved her immensely. Renee and Keith Askea were great parents. Keith was a little rough around the edges and awkward, but Renee was above and beyond this world. She was a hard and rough child. She remembered throwing temper tantrums and breaking several pieces of furniture. That was when her pops suggested she take up some sort of discipline to control her outbursts.

When she was thirteen they let her join the closest Bujinkan Dojo in their area. She didn't know why she wanted to study ninjutsu. It was almost like it called to her in the same way her desire to be a doctor did. The art of the ninja taught her how to control her emotions and keep her temper in check.

She threw herself into mastering the martial arts. She knew several of them – Kung Fu, Northern Praying Mantis, and Wing Chun – but Ninjutsu was her mother art. She was a tenth degree dan and was a certified instructor. They had been instructed in the school to choose two arts to master. Even though most of the arts were obsolete in the modern world, she chose to master Hensojutsu, the art of disguise. She had several items at her disposal to completely turn into someone else. She knew sign language in case she ever had to pretend to be deaf.

Her second master was Taijutsu, the system of unarmed defense. She had been bad at first, but intense training improved her skill greatly. She had started using the Iron Body and Iron Fist techniques from the Shaolin Temple. These conditioning techniques helped her to develop her body so that she wouldn't be harmed as easily. Her fists were honed into deadly weapons. She started out punching bags of sand and beans then gravel and rocks until she was able to punch lead or concrete without feeling a thing. She would stand outside in the hot, Southern humidity for an hour and do punching drills on the side of her parent's garage. Over the years, she had left several indentions in them.

At fifteen, she had actually used her martial arts offensively. She had several nicknames in high school, but they all knew she protected those who couldn't protect themselves. When a group of seniors had tried to jump the book club she automatically jumped into the fray. She used her skills to grapple and dispose of her opponents without hurting them, but when one of them had grabbed a pair of scissors with the intent of hurting them she didn't hesitate. She punched him right in the middle of his forehead. She had rendered him unconscious.

The act led her to being suspended from school for a week, but when she returned there were very few that picked on her or anyone else. She was often challenged at places outside of school and was never defeated. She broke bones, rendered people unconscious, and even gave one person concussion from the impact of her Hammer Fist.

When she started her senior year, she had been the queen of the school and even gained some sort of fan club that nicknamed her "the real life Superwoman". Despite years of violence, she had finally decided on a career choice. She wanted to be a doctor, but not just any doctor. She wanted to work with babies and children. She had been – and still was – stuck between being a pediatrician or a neonatal doctor. She had pushed herself into her studies and started taking college courses in high school while still practicing martial arts and even finding time to be on her high school softball and track team.

That was also the year she got her armor. She remembered that too well. Some punks had been kicking stray dogs and cats. She witnessed the horrific act. When the gang of shitheads threw the poor animals into an abandoned building and set it on fire was when she had enough. She pushed past the teens and into the fire. She covered her face to keep from inhaling the smoke. It didn't take long for her to find the poor babies. The minute she jumped to save them was when she felt something burn on her forehead. The fire surged into her body. Seconds later, she was enveloped in her subarmor and with it the secret of her past.

Her real name was Rekino Sanada. She had been born in Japan. Her mother was a published novelist and her father was a wildlife photographer. She had an older brother named Ryo Sanada. While her father had been off on a profitable her mother had fallen ill. Pancreatic Cancer. Her grandparents had moved into the house with them to care for their daughter and grandchildren. Rekino remembered her mother slowly fading away. There were nights Ryo held her while they both cried. Their father had returned home two days before their mother passed. After that, her father threw himself into his work and she and Ryo were cared for by their grandparents.

When she was ten years old their house had caught on fire. She and Ryo had been the only ones there. The heat of the flames had been so intense. She remembered her brother screaming for her. She had made her way out of the backroom and to her brother. She heard the crackling above them as they made their way to the door. The ceiling was going to collapse. Just mere feet from the door she pushed Ryo out of the fire just as the ceiling fell and the floor collapsed underneath her. The next thing she remembered was waking up in the hospital with no memory.

During Christmas break, Hana showed up on her doorstep. She automatically recognized her old friend. They had been in school together for years before the fire incident. Best friends are what you would call them. They had spent the night at one another's houses many of times. After hugs of joy, she realized that Hana wasn't there to talk when the other girl showed Rekino her own armor orb. She found out that Hana had been an armor bearer since she was thirteen and explained the destiny she was supposed to fulfill.

Mystical armors, another realm, crazy demons. That's when she got out of the talk. Rekino had needed time to process all this information. Her parents had agreed to let Hana stay the night. When she went to sleep is when she had a dream. Kayura and the Ancient One had been in that dream. They described her destiny.

When morning had come, she and Hana sat down with her parents and let them know what was going on minus all the other world shit. Keith and Renee didn't fight with her. In fact, they had told her that they knew this day would come. She would have to wait until graduation, though. The spring of the next year she graduated high school in the top twenty of her class. For her acknowledgements and grades, her parents gave her a lump sum of money and told her to follow her heart. It was a gracious amount of money and one they had been working on for years. It was also enough to get her to Japan, buy a car, and help put a down payment on the house with Hana and the other girls.

She had met Josephine first. She was tall, muscular, and had big boobs. Those were her first thoughts. But she automatically clicked with the Chinese girl. She and Hana sat around and swapped stories for hours. Josephine was just as fowl mouthed as she was. They had the same taste in music and media. She didn't share the same connection with her as she did with Hana though.

Amaya showed up a week later. Rekino had immediately noticed the way she dressed and the crucifix around her neck. Those let Rekino know that Amaya wasn't just any Christian; she was Catholic. Her point was proved when they sat down to have dinner. Amaya had her rosary wrapped around her left hand in a beautiful pattern while they ate. She didn't understand how much faith Amaya had until she dropped her first "f-bomb" in front of her. Sometimes the spot on her hand still stings where Amaya smacked it with a wooden spoon.

Then, she met _her_. Mia Koji. She didn't know what to think of the older girl. When Mia approached her, they stared in absolute silence. Rekino started to squirm under the scrutiny of Mia's green eyes. Then she spoke…

" _You look so much like him, except your eyes."_

 _Mia seemed to get lost in her fiancé's sister's amethyst eyes. Rekino almost shrunk back when the elder woman's hand reached out to touch her hair and cheek._

" _I would say I get that a lot," she smacked her lips together, "but I haven't seen my family in a decade, so, yeah. But thanks anyway!"_

" _He's going to be so happy that you're alive."_

 _The mistress of fire took a step back, "About that…"_

She hated asking Mia to do it, but the secret had to kept. Mia agreed reluctantly. It was hard enough on Rekino being in the same city as her brother, but it got worse when Mia would call her and tell her Ryo had another dream about her and cried for hours. She put up with it, though, because the Guardians had to stay together.

They became close knit in a matter of weeks. Rekino had and always would be closer to Hana than any of them. Maybe even Mia to some degree since she would be her in-law soon. They spared together every day. Josephine gave her a run for her money. She had never fought against anyone who studied Iron Body Kung Fu. In fact, Jo was the first person aside from herself she knew that used Iron Body techniques. Amaya had been the one to surprise her the most. The French girl used a combination of Savate – French boxing – and Water Dragon Kung Fu. She proved to be fast and deadly; however, Rekino was faster. Even Amaya couldn't get the best of her. Joint manipulation and nerve strikes put her down easily.

There was a reason Ninjutsu was nicknamed "the Pathway to Pain".

The first time they had gotten together to armor up was something hard to describe. The power she felt when all five called upon their armors was unimaginable. The link they shared seemed to strengthen. They were able to communicate through the power of the armors. The more time they spent together and trained the stronger it got. Eventually, they could communicate telepathically as long as they had the orbs on them.

 _Stop reminiscing. You got work to do._

She looked at the clock again. Thirty minutes had passed since she sat down on her bed. She got up and stretched her arms above her head. It was time for her run. That would take her about thirty minutes. She would do technique simulations and punching drills. That would be another thirty. It would be close to 5:30 a.m. By that time, Amaya would be up making breakfast for everyone. Rekino would take a shower and sit down to eat breakfast with her three roommates. The would all head out to class around 7:30 a.m. They had decided that it would be best if they didn't attend the same university that Mia taught at. After her classes were over, she would have a couple of hours to herself before going to work at the hospital. She had been hired on as a certified assistant and a phlebotomist in the E.R.

Her job at the hospital was something she coveted. She enjoyed healing others. She felt that it was her calling. Well, aside from being a mystical armor bearing ninja.

As she changed into her work out clothes, the dream came back to her. What was she supposed to do about it? Did she tell the others?

 _Go run_.

Rekino grabbed her iPod, earphones, and headed out the door. A run with good music always helped her think.

* * *

The Balance stood atop of a house. He watched Rekino Sanada exit her house for her morning run.

He trailed her without being noticed. He had to admit, she was beautiful to be a human. She, along with her fellow Guardians, were all blessed with looks that most men couldn't refuse. But Rekino, with her beautiful amethyst eyes and raven hair that almost trailed the ground, was different than any human he had known. But he knew he would feel this way. His millennia long visions had never been wrong.

He was trying to warn her without playing a direct role. His job was to even the odds and to be as passive as he could be. He couldn't choose a side to support. It was against the law.

But it appeared he would have to this time.

He felt them arrive two days ago. The energy surrounding them made him aware of their presence. They were masking it at the moment, but he knew if they had already arrived then the Zendlar's wouldn't be far behind them.

He had to move quickly and quietly as to not make it aware that he was helping the side of good. A plan was already starting to form in his mind.

He just hoped it wouldn't be too late.

* * *

 **Name:** Nasuti Yagyu  
 **Age:** 22  
 **Height:** 5'6"  
 **Weight:** 130lbs  
 **Birthdate:** May 28  
 **Birthplace:** Unknown  
 **Astrological sign:** Gemini  
 **Blood Type:** AB  
 **Favorite Sport:** Bicycling  
 **Martial Art** : Ba Gua  
 **Interests:** Romance literature, driving.  
 **Dislikes:** Secrets  
 **Language:** Japanese, mild French  
 **Armor:** Lady Tenku/Lady Strata  
 **Virtue:** Wisdom  
 **Family** :  
Mother: French  
Father: Japanese  
Grandfather: Deceased  
Ryo: Fiancé  
Rekino: Future sister-in-law

Nasuti has held a driving license since 17. She probably only came over to Japan recently and most likely is holding a temporary license. The large house shown in the series and OAVs is located in Odawara, a town in Kanagawa Prefecture and south of Tokyo. The dock and the other house are located on the shores of Yamanaka lake which must be very close to the house.

With the data her grandfather's collected, Nasuti serves as the support for the Troopers. The Yagyu family is very wealthy, hinted by the large house within driving distance of Tokyo. Nasuti states it as a fact in Kikoutei Densetsu volume 3.

Mia acquired her armor after the event with Suzanagi. She was doing some research at home one evening and came across an old legend that had not been deciphered. She spent weeks decoding the ancient manuscript and was led to a cavern in the forests of Toriyama. Inside the cavern was a lake that reflected the sky and in the middle was the Lady Tenku, Lady Strata, yoroi.

Mia's dark blue yoroi is Tenku, Strata, and draws power from generally air. Sje has a metal collapsable hankyu, Sho Ha Kyu, that can be hooked on her quiver which supplies an endless amount of golden energy arrows. Her special attack is called "Eight Way Storm". Once she unleashes and arrow and it hits the target, winds from eight different directions converge on the point where the arrow struck.


	4. Chapter 4 - Mia

**dis-claim'er** , noun: a denial or disavowal of legal claim **:** relinquishment of or formal refusal to accept an interest or estate; b **:** a writing that embodies a legal disclaimer; c: _a statement made to save one's on ass_.

Chapter 3: Mia

Mia sat in her private study in the home she and Ryo shared in Odawara. The silence accompanied with the ticking of the large grandfather clocked helped her think. She was at a loss and didn't know what to do. With every passing day she found it to be a tremendous chore keeping her vow to Rekino and the others.

The girls had arrived in Japan in January. She had thought that her meeting the guys had been rough, but finding out she was a Guardian along with the arrival of her comrades was far worse than anything she had experienced in life so far. Having to keep everything a secret was causing her more stress than that.

She mused that her life had been almost perfect before she discovered the secret of Lady Strata. Last year, she had graduated with a MA in Ancient Literature and a BA in History. She had told the guys not to make a big deal out of it, but they had. They had brought flowers and balloons. Kento was shouting in front of everyone in attendance. She remembered turning around in embarrassment to see something that still takes her breath away to this day.

Ryo had been on his knees with a ring in his hand. She initially didn't know how to respond. They had been casually dating for almost two years, but she didn't expect him to ask her like this. She noticed the crowd had been waiting anxiously for her to respond. Nervously, she nodded her head. The gymnasium was filled with exciting and congratulating cheers.

All the guys had started moving out one-by-one until all was left were her and Ryo. The house had been entirely too quiet since. After all the moving and rearranging had been done, Mia was studying some of her grandfather's research when she noticed a reference to something she had never seen before. Two hours later, she found herself driving to Ama no Hashidate. At the edge of the shore where the sky and ocean seemed to meet is where she found the armor.

She threw herself into old file archives after reading the email until she found what she was looking for. Her grandfather had it heavily coded. It took her hours to decipher, but once she did the information was unreal. Female armors. Counterparts to the nine armors created from a piece of the original. They were meant to never be used unless the world was in dire jeopardy. That was when she got an email from Hana Utano.

And her life was turned upside down.

The other Lady Ronin Guardians had entered her life like a whirlwind. She had gotten a mysterious email from Hana a week after she had found the armor. The two exchanged emails for months before all but one of the Guardians arrived.

Hana was elegant and walked like a beauty queen, of which she had the looks to match. She was "all legs" as Kento would say. Her milky white skin made her seem like she was a porcelain doll. She couldn't quite decipher the accent, but the other Guardian explained she had lived all over the world due to her father and brother being in the military.

She had been most excited to meet Amaya since the two shared French blood. She was a petite, robust brunette with light brown eyes. Her skin was a nice warm tone, but not too brown. The one thing that stood out the most about her was the rosary she wore around her neck. They held a small introductory conversation in French.

There was certainly no mistaking the kinship of Josephine Rei Faun. She was exceptionally tall for someone of Chinese decent, but her blue hair and granite eyes gave away her familial ties to Kento. She was built muscular, but it was hard to tell unless she flexed to show them off. Her messy, crop top hair style was constantly moving in the breeze.

The girls had gotten to know one another over the course of several weeks. Mia had showed them a house that would be big enough to accommodate the wants and needs of four young women and a small cat.

It wasn't until a month later that she had gotten to meet the final Guardian. Hana explained that the girl was from the United States and had to graduate high school before she could move. The Halo Guardian had been the one to go get her. Hana arrived back in Japan four days later with the new Guardian. Mia had waited until the next day to go meet her, and the revelation she received punched at the glass protecting the picture of her perfect life and future.

 _Rekino Sanada_. It was like looking at Ryo with the exception of her stature and shining amethyst eyes. This had taken her by complete surprise. She was told that the last Guardian lived in America. That was when Kayura had showed up out of thin air and called the first "official" meeting of the Lady Ronin Guardians.

" _Train, be vigilant, and work together. Keep your identities a secret until the right time."_

That was pretty much the summary of the meeting. So they had been doing just that. She had been amazed at watching the other Guardians train together for the first time.

Mia had sat off to the side as she watched her comrades in arms spar. As the only female of the group who didn't know a martial art, she was instructed to watch and learn.

"Holy hell!" Hana said in between breaths.

The mistress of the guardian armor of fire was bearing down on Josephine. Even though the bearer of the Lady Hardrock armor almost had a full foot on the other, Rekino wasn't letting up. She moved quickly and deadly, delivering repetitive punches to her opponent.

Amaya removed herself from the sparring match and stood by her other comrades and watched the show. The two girls were so engrossed in their match that they didn't notice what was going on around them.

Suddenly, without notice, Rekino stepped towards Josephine and stopped a punch with both of her fists. She grabbed Jo by the forearm and spun her body around almost like water around a rock. She took the bigger girl to the ground in an instant. When the bearer of the guardian armor of earth tried to get up, Rekino jumped on her back and used both of her elbows and applied pressure at Jo's neck.

She tapped out.

The smaller girl rolled off her friend to the ground, panting heavily.

"That was…awesome!" Jo exclaimed loudly. She pushed herself up and sat up Indian style. "Where did you learn to fight like that?"

Rekino propped herself up on her elbows. She started laughing, "I'm a ninja, baby. It's what I do."

Mia, Hana, and Amaya walked over and helped the two girls up. They made their way to the patio and all sat down for a drink.

"I've never seen a fight like that," Mia said as she sipped on her water.

"I hafta tell ya," Rekino flicked Jo on her subarmored bicep, "if we hadn't been wearing this get up and I would've taken a full punch from you, it would have fucked me up."

"Language!"

"Sorry, 'Mya," Lady Rekka gave her a wink. "I've never fought anyone who practices Iron Body Kung Fu."

Hana sat her glass down, "Remind me to never make either of you mad."

Josephine literally inhaled her water. She looked at Mia, "You ready to learn some fightin' stuff?!"

It had taken her several weeks of studying and researching what martial art she would choose to learn. Ryo had the guys had taught her basic defense skills in hand-to-hand combat as well as learning to use a naginata. She knew Ryo would be against it whole heartedly, but she wanted to be prepared. Watching the other four fight so vigorously ignited something within her to better herself.

The grandfather clock chimed loudly signally that it was five o'clock. Ryo would be home soon from his internship at the zoo. The guardian of the armor of air quickly put away her student's papers and closed her laptop. She wanted to have dinner prepared for her lover so that she would be able to discuss her "training".

* * *

"I've been doing some thinking," Mia blurted out at dinner.

Ryo looked up from his plate with his eyebrow raised in curiosity, "About?"

"I want to learn how to fight."

The bearer of the Armor of Wildfire didn't know if he heard his fiancée correctly. He carefully swallowed his food. He cleared his throat.

"You want to learn to _fight_?"

Mia took a sip of her wine before speaking, "Yes. I want to learn to fight. To defend myself."

"But you have me to protect you. Not to mention the guys."

"Ryo," Mia reached across the table and took his hand, "you aren't always around. You're trying to get into vet school. The rest of the guys have lives of their own. What if there comes a time where I'm in danger and you aren't there?"

He was trying to understand her plight. It pained him to think of his beautiful future wife covered in bruises that he caused, but a memory flashed through his mind. He came to a conclusion that he wouldn't lose anyone else he loved.

"Fine," he returned her grip, "but I want to oversee your training. You have to take it slow at first. You can't overwork your muscles or body."

The older woman's green eyes sparkled, "I know. I've been doing some research on several martial arts and training regiments. I think I've found one I would like to study."

"Oh?"

"Ba Gua."

"I can teach you basic defense," Ryo looked confused, "but I don't know Ba Gua. I study ninjutsu."

"Yes, and I don't think that would suit me. It's too…intense."

The twenty-year-old looked at his future wife with curiosity all over his face. If he had been in a cartoon a question mark would be floating above his head. Mia was trying hard not to laugh at her lover.

"I, uh, I have a friend who uses ninjutsu. I've seen her fight. According to her, I couldn't be a kunoichi and I have to agree. I want to learn how to defend myself _not_ cause my opponent crippling and deadly pain."

"This friend of yours sounds interesting," Ryo resumed eating. He said between bites, "I wouldn't mind meeting her. It's been a long time since I've meet someone else who is part of the Bujinkan dojo."

Later that night while Ryo was in the shower, Mia put on her bluetooth headset to call her friends and proceed to tell them what happened. Rekino, of course, lost her mind.

"Really? You told him about me?"

"It's not like I gave anything away."

It was almost like she could see her friend running a hand down her face in aggravation. She heard Hana speak.

"At least he agreed to let you learn. That's the positive point of this conversation."

"I told him I wanted to study Ba Gua."

"Niiiiiice," Josephine said lazily. "It's called the 'Eight Palm Change'. Very cool, girl."

"So," Mia clapped her hands, "who wants to be my teacher?"

* * *

That dark haired man sat atop the tallest building in Tokyo watching as the lights flashed in an array of colors he had never seen. Interesting these people were with their technology and lifestyle. Blending in with this race wasn't a problem, but studying their behavior was entirely different.

 _Hiding here with these "humans" is useless. Those people cannot save you._

"My lord."

A twinkly of light to his right signaled his comrade had appeared. He pivoted his body to let her know she had heard him.

"We still cannot find him," she said sternly. Her prismatic white hair seemed to shine in the blackness of the night, "but we have located all of the armor bearers."

"Mm," he sucked on his teeth in disgust, "keep searching for The Power stone, but do not let those _children_ meet; especially those two. If what you have foreseen is correct then we must stop it at all cost."

"Sir," she bowed and was gone in the blink of an eye.

* * *

 **Next chapter:** Hana

 **Name:** Hana Marie Utano  
 **Age:** 19  
 **Height:** 5'7"  
 **Weight:** 135lbs  
 **Hair Color:** Golden Blonde, wavy and past shoulder blades.  
 **Eye color:** Midnight Blue  
 **Ethnicity:** ½ Japanese, ¼ American, ¼ Cherokee Indian  
 **Birthdate:** September 29  
 **Birthplace:** Berlin, Germany (Army base)  
 **Astrological sign:** Libra  
 **Blood Type:** A  
 **Favorite Sport:** Fencing, kendo  
 **Martial Art:** Tai Chi  
 **Interests:** Men, reading, math  
 **Dislikes:** Liars, people with no honor  
 **Language:** English, German, Spanish, Japanese  
 **Armor:** Lady Korin/Lady Halo  
 **Virtue:** Grace  
 **Weapon:** No-datchi with a shuriken at its hilt, Korin Ken  
 **Family:  
** Thomas: Father. Sergeant Major in the Army  
Ami: Mother. Died in a car crash when Hana was 12  
Brandon: Older brother. Staff Sergeant in the Army

Hana's father is an American/Native American Sergeant Major in the United States Army. He was deployed to Japan and that is where it met Ami, Hana's mother. Hana grew up in Japan until she was eleven years old before she moved to Germany.

Hana was the first to receive her armor. She was thirteen and living in Germany with her father and brother. Hana was bullied by a classmate relentlessly for years. She, however, never reported the other girl for harassment. During one school year, the girl was diagnosed with kidney failure. One evening, Hana snuck away to test to see if her blood type was compatible with her classmate and it was. With permission from her father, Hana donated her kidney to the girl. This act caused the spirit of "REI", Grace, to awaken in her heart.

Hana's green yoroi is Korin, Halo, and draws power from any light source. She has a no-dachi with a shuriken at its hilt, Korin Ken, that can be hung on her back. Her special attack is called "Sunspot Fury". She concentrates a focal point of lightning on the target that burns anything in that area by light.

She believes in the healing power of herbs and crystals. She and Rekino do a weekly aura cleansing using the chakra alignments and matching crystals for the areas. When in armor, Hana can draw from the light of the sun and heal minor, and sometimes major, wounds.

 **Notable facts:**

1\. Never leaves the house without makeup on.  
2\. Always accessorizes her outfits  
3\. Hates carrots  
4\. She has an IQ of 150 and was valedictorian of her class.  
5\. Has severe OCD and cleans when her emotions are high.  
6\. Wakes up at 5am every morning regardless due to being raised in a military house.  
7\. Her hair is super thick due to Indian heritage.  
8\. She has quite a large savings due to being responsible with money.  
9\. She has her personal bubble and doesn't like some people to get close.  
10\. She is a natural seductress, but hasn't had as many lovers as people think.


	5. Chapter 5 - Hana

**dis-claim'er** , noun: a denial or disavowal of legal claim **:** relinquishment of or formal refusal to accept an interest or estate; b **:** a writing that embodies a legal disclaimer; c: _a statement made to save one's own ass_.

* * *

Chapter 4: Hana

* * *

"You must be new around here."

The blonde smiled sweetly, "Nah. I've been here for a while. Now, put this on your finger."

The greasy haired man smiled. He was obviously drunk, "Hows about I get your number and when you get off we can get a drink together."

Hana bit the inside of her cheek. She knew it came naturally, but sometimes she hated being so pretty. She ignored the man while proceeding to write his stats on paper .

"Follow me, please."

The urge to run always kicked in when a pervert was behind her, but Hana knew that the hospital staff wouldn't let anything happen to her. Plus, Rekino was there. She knew that if anything was to happen that girl would surely raise hell.

When she stopped in front of room five to open the door, the drunkard stopped and put a hand on her hip.

"Don't be shy. I promise I won't hurt you."

Hana gritted her teeth to the point she thought they might break, but still managed to force a smile, "The doctor will be with you as soon as she can. We are short staffed at the moment so your wait may be longer than usual."

"You could stay and keep me company. I'm sure we could find _something_ to do."

The guardian of the armor of light placed the man's chart in the file holder on the door, "I hope you get to feeling better. Good evening, Mr. Yama."

Mr. Yama rolled his eyes, "Suit yourself, sugar. You know where to find me."

Hana almost came out of her skin when the old man slapped her rear end as he went into the room. It took her all of her self-control to not turn around and break his jaw. She closed the door behind her very forcefully about the time Rekino came around the corner.

"Dude, that was loud as hell," the petite warrior said. "What happened?"

"It was nothing. Just some drunk idiot trying to get me to hook up with him."

Hana walked up to the ER nurse station to sign in the patient. Rekino was beside her instantly, amethyst eyes full of anger. The blonde laughed at her.

"Calm down, killer."

"Yes, you used proper noun. _Killer_. I'll hit him so hard he will go into cardiac arrest."

"No need for that," Hana put the pin back in the shirt pocket of her scrubs. "Go do your job and let me worry about mine."

Rekino puffed her cheeks in annoyance, "Bitch."

The blonde blew her friend a kiss, "You know I love you."

"Yeah, yeah."

Hana walked away with a smile on her face. As she made her way back to triage, she mused on her life and how she came to be in her current situation.

She was born to Thomas and Ami Utano at the U.S. Army base "Baumholder" located in German. Her brother, Brandon, was five years older than her. Her father was a Japanese-American whose mother had Cherokee Indian in her blood; her mother was full blooded Japanese. When she described her heritage to people she often referred to herself as a "mixed breed". She had the exotic eyes of her Asian lineage, the face structure of an American, and the thick hair of the American Indians.

Hana grew up like most children in a military family. The entire family was up my 5 A.M. She had an hour to shower, brush her teeth, get dressed, and make her bed. Her father inspected her room, as well as her brother's, before they were allowed to leave. It included taking a penny to see if it would bounce off the sheets. If it wasn't perfect, they had to redo until the goal was accomplished. If met, Thomas told them to go downstairs to the kitchen where Ami had breakfast prepared for the siblings

Hana started doing this when she was six years old.

During the meal, their daily calendar was talked about. After that, Thomas would get Hana and Brandon in the car to drop them off at the bus stop for school while he drove to the base. Hana knew that her mother would be taking care of the home while they were all away.

School was from 8 A.M. until 4 P.M. She and Brandon both participated in after school activities. Brandon was in the art club while Hana went to cram school. She strived to be the best and not let anyone get ahead of her. She stayed there until 6 P.M. and went home. By the time she and Brandon got home, their father had arrived from the base. During dinner, they ate and talked about what had happened during the day. Her father would usually tell stories of what his soldiers had done.

Afterwards, her dad would always have a glass of scotch and go watch TV while she and Brandon did homework and their mother cleaned the kitchen. They had an hour to finish their work.

She would then go upstairs, change, and read a book until it was lights out.

That was her routine every day. It didn't change unless her father had an emergency on base and had to stay late. Even in the present, the routine instilled in her hadn't changed. She still gets up with the sun regardless of what time she goes to bed.

When she was six, her father was promoted to Sergeant Major and was relocated to the Zama Army Base located in the Zama Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan. They moved to a town called Tsuru in the Yamanashi Prefecture that was roughly an hour away from Zama. She and Brandon enrolled in the nearest school and they stayed there for five years until her father was moved to Germany. Her mother died in an accident on the AutoBahn almost a year later. She was twelve when that happened.

After her mother's passing, it seemed that her father had worked a lot after that. She had always been close to her daddy and brother, but the aftermath of her mother's death seemed to deafen the tone in the house. The love was still there, but it all seemed to be reflected in black and white. The best memory of that time was when her father took the entire day off work and let her play hooky from school to celebrate her thirteenth birthday.

Shortly after that was when the bullying started.

It was a girl in a grade higher than her. Nathalie Hansel. Hana had never been self conscious about her looks or attitude, but this girl and her "gang" tortured Hana until she started to draw within herself. The biggest laugh they had gotten was making fun of her for her heritage. Hana was an American-Indian, Japanese child who had no ties to Germany and it showed. The teasing continued for a year until the girl happened to get sick. Hana watched as the girl stayed out of school for weeks until she heard the girl had been diagnosed with acute kidney disease. The girl's kidneys were failing and she only had a short time to live unless she received a transplant.

While she was eating dinner one night she seemed to have an epiphany. It was as if she had been struck by lightning. Even though the girl had been a bully, Hana should do what she could to save her. She waited until her father got home that night to run the idea by him. It took her two days of strong negotiation until he relented. The next day, she went to the hospital and had herself tested.

The results came back as a match for her to be a donor. Her father didn't hesitate on signing the papers. Hana had pre-op the next day and was in the hospital being prepped for surgery two days after the paper was signed. While under the anesthesia she experienced what she thought was hallucinations until she woke up in recovery to see a dark green armor standing at her bedside. She reached up slowly and touched her fingertips to the armored figure before it disappeared and the aura was slowly absorbed into her body.

Her forehead burnt for a second before a single word reverberated into her mind.

 _Grace_.

That's when she realized that the "hallucinations" she had been having while she was under the medication were actually the truth. And ancient battle between good and evil, armored warriors defending that universe, a power that would change all of mankind and history. The armor had accepted her because she had passed the test of Lady Korin by showing her true nature of 'grace'. So much flooded her mind at one point that she remembered someone she had forgotten…

Rekino Sanada.

She had been six when she had started school in Japan. She had taken her assigned seat next to one of the windows and a quiet voice had greeted her. When she turned around and saw the black haired, amethyst eyed young girl something clicked. From that moment, the two became inseparable. They had so many things in common. They both studied martial arts, had older brothers, loved animals, and adored their dad's. They spent so much time at one another's house that they just left clothes so that way neither needed to worry about bringing any.

Enter summer break after she turned ten years old. Rekino was supposed to come to her house and they were going to the park to spend the day together. Hours and hours went by and she hadn't showed up. The Sanada house phone also wasn't being answered. She had started to get a bad feeling. Right before she was about to go to the bus stop to go check on her friend there was a knock. Ryo, Rekino's older brother, was on the other side and looked distraught.

" _H-hana. Something happened."_

According to Ryo there had been a fire. No one knew how it had started. The two Sanada siblings had been the only ones home when it started. It had burnt everything down to the foundation. Ryo said he let go of Rekino's hand and a flaming beam had fallen on top of her, but when the fire department had arrived there was no sign of her body.

Ryo blamed himself.

Hana was heartbroken. She spent several days numb. She had held onto hope that her friend was still alive, but after a week the search's had been called off and everyone stopped looking. It was the night of Rekino's memorial that she finally let her emotional wall down and cried. She cried for days. After that, her father received new orders to be stationed in Germany. They moved and Hana, for some reason, completely forgot about Rekino.

She began training with her armor in secret every day after school. After the transplant, Nathalie started to be nicer to her and the two formed somewhat of a friendship, but the memory of Rekino haunted her. Presumed dead in the fire, but never found her body. That meant Rekino might still be alive. She started searching on the internet for any kind of clue that would lead her to her friend. Hana had been on the precipice of defeat when she came across an article on the website of the Bujinkan Dojo. It was a group shot of a tournament that had been held in the North American chain of the schools.

Rekino had been front and center.

Hana screamed in joy, knocking over her chair in the process. Her joy turned into sadness when she realized the girl in the photo was Candace Askea, a girl from a town in central Alabama. Her heart almost broke, but there was still hope. She _knew_ it had to be Rekino. No one had eyes like that girl. A pool of amethyst that almost glowed in the dark.

She spent several days looking up as much as she could about this Candace Askea. MySpace, Facebook, and several other websites said the same thing. After an extensive day of research, Hana had decided to go to bed early to rest her brain. Sometime during the night she had a dream.

" _You're not asking the right questions to the right person. Expand your mind into the universe."_

She woke up to her armor orb chiming silently. Hana took the small crystal into her hand and stared at it intently.

"Do _you_ know where Rekino is?"

A silhouette of Lady Korin appeared on her floor sitting with her legs crossed, wrists resting on her knee.

 _Expand your mind into the universe._

That's when Hana started meditating. She did it in the mornings, during lunch, and before bed. Sometimes her mind would wander even in her sleep. Answers came to her even in her dreams. She dreamt of the demon Talpa and his Netherrealm. The nine armors that came from his which were scattered across Japan. A man in a woven hat with white hair carrying a staff. A young woman with purple hair bringing about destruction and peace.

Then another man. She remembered he sat atop a large box. His hair was white too, but she could almost make out the features of his face. He put a nicely manicured nail to his lips as if he was telling her to be quiet while he patted the side of the box. Nine crests appeared on the front. The same nine as the other armors that were hidden in Japan. When she started to get confused, the man jumped off the box opening the lid. Lady Korin came out from the box along with eight other armors.

 _Guardians_.

" _Gather your comrades, but you must wait until they are ready."_

A trip to France when she was fifteen led her to Amaya Blanchett.

Accompanying her daddy to a military conference in China resulted in her finding Josephine Rei Faun.

Researching the armor phenomenons in Japan drew her to Mia Koji.

She waited patiently for the time to come when she needed to journey to America to meet Rekino and on the night before her own graduation was when the armor gave her the call. She waited to get her diploma, of course, but then she boarded a plane and didn't look back. She had found Rekino and convinced her adoptive parents to let her move. After years of searching, it was like her life was finally complete now that her best friend had returned.

It didn't take too much longer after that for all of the Guardians to be gathered in one country and all but one of them live under the same roof. The rest, as anyone would say, is history.

* * *

Hana gathered her things from the ER breakroom just as Rekino ran past the door.

"'scuse me?" the ebony haired teen came to a screeching halt. "Where you going?"

The Korin guardian gave her most dashing smile, "We're over staffed so they told me I could go home early since I stayed late last week to help when we were short."

Rekino pointed to herself and then back to Hana as she resumed running, "I'mma beat your ass when I get home. Just wait."

Hana laughed as she watched Rekino's tiny form disappear down the hallway. She didn't doubt the other girl's words, but knew that when the fire elemental warrior got home she would have to do homework then go straight to bed.

The air outside was perfect. There was a slight hint of cold in the air, but Hana couldn't ask for weather anymore perfect than this. She used her clicker to unlock her Dark Green Mini Cooper, but turned around quickly when she heard what sounded like her name being whispered on the wind. When she realized she must just be paranoid, she opened the door to her car and got in only to almost come out of her skin.

The man with long white hair was sitting in her passenger seat. Her instinct was to start fighting, but when he raised a hand she recognized those nails.

"Yes, I'm the one who has been guiding you, Hana of the Lady Halo."

Hana smacked her lips, "How do I know you're not the enemy."

"Please. I'm too good looking to be the enemy."

That's when he looked at her and Hana felt herself unable to breathe. His eyes were like a molten pool of ice blue. The color swirled around like he kept all of the secrets of the universe hidden within them. He had the perfect cut to his jawline. His cheekbones were high and tight and she thought she was imagining things when she saw he had fangs when he smiled. Nope, they were real.

"Who are you?"

He crossed his legs, "I'm known as 'The Balance'. You can call me Balance, Majesty, Sir. I accept virgin sacrifices every Tuesday and Thursday between-oh, shit. That's rules of a different world. Ahem, just call me Balance."

"Uh huh," The blonde seemed unimpressed, "and I'm just supposed to believe you like the followers of a Charles Manson cult?"

"Hey now. Charlie did it right. Don't hate the player; hate the game."

 _Really?_ Hana thought.

"Yes, really," the Balance replied humorously, but then changed his tone. "It's almost time, Hana."

The blonde looked at him confused when he put his hand over hers, but then she felt it. She felt horror, despair, pain, war, sickness, death…

"You gathered the pieces. It's time to prepare because they are already here watching."

She saw them. Two females and one male. Armors that she had no clue where they were from or what they did. She saw them fighting her friends and their counterparts, Kayura, and the warlords and their counterparts. She saw people dying. She saw sickness taking over the land. When the images disappeared, she opened her eyes to find the Balance gone and in his place was a Starbucks cup.

It said on the side in immaculate handwriting: _Sorry for the disturbing images. Coffee always makes you better._

Hana reached out to get the coffee. She hesitantly sniffed the drink before taking a sip. It was as if the weight of what she just saw was lifted off of her.

 _Did he just give me magic juujuu coffee?_

But, more important than that question, on the drive home Hana pondered how the hell she was going to explain this to her friends.

* * *

 **END**

* * *

Next up:

 **Name:** Amaya Faye Blanchet  
 **Age:** 19  
 **Height:** 5'4"  
 **Weight:** 120lbs  
 **Hair Color:** Chocolate brown, reaches her chin  
 **Eye Color:** Light brown  
 **Ethnicity:** ¾ French, ¼ Japanese  
 **Birthdate:** March 16  
 **Birthplace:** Paris, France  
 **Astrological sign:** Pisces  
 **Blood Type:** O  
 **Favorite Sport:** Swimming, tennis  
 **Martial Art** : Savate, Water Dragon Kung Fu  
 **Interests:** Swimming, romance literature, cooking desserts, painting  
 **Dislikes:** Anti-religious groups, using the Lord's name in vain  
 **Language:** French, Japanese, some English  
 **Armor:** Lady Suiko/Lady Torrent  
 **Virtue:** Trust  
 **Weapon:** Tanto behind right shoulder; Suiko Yari, a combination of a trident and a mancatcher.

 **Family:**

¤ Mary: Mother. Bread Baker  
¤ Jean: Father. Devote Catholic. Banker  
¤ Michelle: Older sister. Housewife  
¤ Natalie: Older sister. PhD student.  
¤ Michael: Younger brother. High school student

Amaya is Catholic and very conservative. She wears dresses or skirts that reach her ankles and her sleeves always go past her elbows. She always wears flats with her outfits.

Amaya is a natural empath. She feels emotions of others on a different level than most people. She can feel emotions so deep that it can make her sick especially if someone has been emotionally damaged. When it all becomes too much for her, she finds the nearest body of water and uses it to "wash away" the hurt.

Amaya acquired her armor when she was fourteen. She donated her part of her family fortune to a charity that helped children in third world countries to have education and health care. Because she was going to be a nun, she had come to the decision to live her life without material resources to be closer to God. This act of "Trust" caused the armor to awaken and Lady Suiko, Lady Torrent, appeared before her.

Amaya's light blue yoroi is Suiko, Water, and draws power from any water source. She has a tanto (dagger) behind her right shoulder and wields Suiko Yari, actually a combination of a trident and mancatcher. Her special attack is called "Deep Fathom Sphere". She uses her yari to throw a ball of water at an enemy and encases them within it. She can control the pressure of the water in the ball to either subdue an opponent or crush them to death.

When in armor, Amaya can pinpoint the nearest ocean and has nautical accuracy. She can also communicate with sea life.

 **Notable facts** :  
1 **.** She doesn't like to hear curse words, but she can tolerate some.  
2\. Never uses the Lord's name in vain.  
3\. Her favorite animal is a dolphin.  
4\. She cooks as a hobby, but mostly enjoys making desserts.  
5\. She has an IQ of 135.  
6\. Her favorite pastime is curling up outside with a book and a hot cup of tea.  
7\. She is a pacifist at heart and will only fight when necessary.  
8\. She took to learning the martial arts when her sister was sexually assaulted.  
9\. She can play the piano.  
10\. She goes to church every Wednesday and Sunday.  
11\. When she isn't reading, Amaya enjoys painting.


	6. Chapter 6 - Amaya

**dis-claim'er** , noun: a denial or disavowal of legal claim **:** relinquishment of or formal refusal to accept an interest or estate; b **:** a writing that embodies a legal disclaimer; c: _a statement made to save one's own ass_.

* * *

Chapter 5: Amaya

* * *

She didn't know what it was about coming to this place that made her so calm inside. It wasn't just her faith in God or that this was his house. Maybe it was the array of colors that reflected from the stained glass in the windows. Maybe it was the soothing hymns that constantly played in the background. Maybe it was the smell of candles and oils.

Despite not knowing, Amaya Blanchett always felt at home in church. It just wasn't a place of worship, but here she knew she was safe from the cruelty of the world. She had been unsure whether or not she would find a Catholic church in Japan. It was quite the drive to get there, but St. Ignatius Catholic Church was located in Tokyo and she felt a very warm connection to this place. It was almost as if God had wanted her to be there.

Stopping at the back of the church, she dipped her fingers into the anointing oil and made the sign of the cross before she went and took a seat in one of the pews. Listening to the melodic sound of the harpsichord, she dove into her own thoughts and revelations that had taken place since she was a child and up until this point.

She was born in Paris, France to Mary and Jean Blanchett. They moved to Nice, France when she was three to be closer to her father's mother, Francine. She has two older sisters, Michelle and Natalie, and a younger brother, Michael. Her mother opened up a small baker in Nice while her father was the manager of the local bank. Her oldest memories are of those in the bakery watching her mother bake assorted breads. She supposed this is probably what drew her to start baking and eventually cooking.

Her father was a devout Catholic. She and her family were in church every wednesday and sunday and attended any and all functions. Her mother closed the bakery on Sundays to distribute the waste from the end of the week to those less fortunate than her family. She was taught to believe in God and never forget that through Him any and all things are possible.

After trying to figure out why she would always get sick if she was around too many people at once or if someone who emotionally distraught, Amaya learned from Father Hernan that she was what people called an 'empath'. An empath is someone who is highly aware of the emotions of those around them, to the point of feeling those emotions themselves. Empaths also see the word differently than other people; they're keenly aware of others, their pain points, and what they need emotionally; but it isn't just emotions. Amaya could sometimes sense physical pain, too-and can often sense someone's intentions or where they're coming from.

She remembered crying when Father Hernan explained her supernatural ability; she thought it was a curse! But Father Hernan told her that it was God's will and to see it as a blessing instead. She should think of how her ability was like that of Jesus when he was crucified for everyone's sins. After a lengthy conversation, Father Hernan agreed to teach Amaya how to control her empathy and things she could do to help those around her and herself. Now, she was grateful for his teachings. Amaya harnessed her ability to the point where she could now faintly see someone's aura and could determine if their intentions were good or bad.

Amaya was thirteen when the police knocked on the door to her family home to inform the family that her eldest sister, Michelle, had been sexually assaulted after leaving one of her night classes. That was her first true experience of what evil looked like. She and her family were good, God loving people that gave to the community and helped everyone regardless of their beliefs. Her faith never wavered, but she couldn't seem to stop asking God why it happened to her sister.

She was a firm believer in pacifism, but she knew then that that wouldn't save her if she was to ever be attacked. Amaya saved her allowance for over a month to start taking some form of self defense and she chose Water Dragon Kung Fu. The fluidity of the movements made her feel like she was an ever flowing river. She excelled in her studies and rose ranks in no time.

When she was seventeen she had almost decided her calling in life. Feeling close to the church and close to God, she spoke to Father Hernan about joining a convent and taking vows to become a nun. Hernan told her that if she truly did believe it was God's will then to place her trust in Him. After debating with herself for two days, she brought it up at a family dinner. Everyone at the table gave their own opinion, but encouraged her to follow her heart.

" _If the word of God speaks to your heart then that is what you do," her father said sweetly._

Amaya spent the next weeks until her graduation gathering her things and donating it to the homeless and what was left she gave to the church. She had a trust fund that her parents put money into every month, but wasn't accessible to anyone until she was eighteen. She gave her parents strict instructions that when the money matured it was to be donated to local charities and hospitals.

The day after she received her diploma happened to be her eighteenth birthday. Her family went with her to the Roman Catholice Diocese of Nice where Father Hernan was waiting for her. The family took a tour of the church and ate together before her family bid their farewells and left. When they were alone, Father Hernan asked her one last time if she was misplacing her truth. Amaya stood firm with her decision.

It was the first night in the covenant that it appeared to her.

Amaya pretended not to notice the small, glowing aqua aura in the corner of the room. The more she ignored it the closer it got. Sitting up, she stroked her rosary as the aqua aura started to shimmer and shine until it materialized into a beautiful armor the color of the ocean in direct sunlight.

The armor reached out to her. She tentatively touched her fingertips to those of the image. The armor disappeared in what looked like a burst of glitter and was absorbed into her body.

 _Trust._

She felt a power surge through her body and it was almost as if she was being pushed through time. She closed her eyes and opened them to find herself in a strange village. _Is this real?_ She felt the grass beneath her toes, but her body seemed to be in an incorporeal form. She caught a movement out of her peripheral vision and turned towards the disturbance.

Amaya saw a strangely dressed man with long white hair standing in front nine unmanned armor. He was chanting in some sort of strange language. She watched as he took a bowl from an altar and walked up to the red armor. With immaculate precision he took out a small knife and scraped some of the armor into the brown dish. He placed it back on the altar, grabbed another dish, and repeated the process with the rest of the armors. Once he was done, he turned to face all nine of the dishes and started chanting in a language Amaya was unfamiliar with. His hands wove through the air as he made several symbols with them. The bowls started to glow; the air cracked with power and lightning. There was a loud boom and everything returned to normal.

The bowls were glowing several different colors. Amaya watched as the aura's floated away from the bowls and into the air. The auras moved around in a strange way before taking a shape and solidifying into nine armors that almost replicated the other ones. These new armors appeared more feminine than the others and had capes.

Amaya gasped when the man turned towards her. His eyes were the brightest blue she had ever seen. He gave her a teasing smirk before putting a finger to his lips as if telling her to be quiet. He moved his hand and waved at her as if he was dismissing a servant. The images swirled around her becoming one giant blob of colors and auras. She blinked and found herself back in the convent.

Amaya had a hard time taking it all in, but she knew at that moment this was what God had wanted her to do. She had been sent here to find her path, but it was up to her to walk it. She was a Guardian; a defender of the weak and protector of the innocent, but there was more. She was a Guardian of the universe and of someone she didn't know.

She left the convent the next day after apologizing to the Sister's and the Priest. She caught a bus back to Nice. Her family had been more than surprised to see her at home, but she told them that there was a different path that she needed to travel in order to do what God intended for her. She told them what happened that night in the convent. They had all been unwilling to believe her except for her younger brother, Michael. He thought it was "cool" his big sister got an out of this world armor.

Her mother came to her several days following her return and told her to go visit her maternal grandmother who lived on a beach house. Amaya had been confused, but when she got to her grandmother's she understood. Seashells and pictures of the ocean lined the home of the elderly woman. A particular picture of a mermaid had caught her attention. The mystical creature had blonde hair and blue eyes as she struck a pose in the ocean with fish swimming around her.

Her grandmother, Aline, was a petite woman with salt and pepper hair. She spoke with eloquence and poise. She sat and spoke with her grandmother for hours about her lineage. When it was all over, Amaya stood at the edge of the ocean, barefoot, and let the waves wash over her. While the talk had been confusing it somehow all made sense.

Mermaids.

Her grandmother told her of a tale that said that her ancestors were descendants of the sea. She didn't know how to take it, but it settled right in her heart. She had always had an affinity for the sea. Whenever the power of her empathy overwhelmed her, she would always go for a swim to "wash away" the emotions and the pain of the people she had taken in.

That was the first time she donned her armor. Armor of the Lady Torrent. She swam underneath the waves for hours. She mingled with the oceanic life and laughed as she watched schools of fish playing together. Amaya's soul sung with joy when a dolphin swam up to her. She didn't know whether to be shocked or normal when she could understand the dolphin. It swam around her in circles while singing its song. She decided to name the dolphin Ellie.

Amaya took daily trips to the sea after that. She played with the sea life and they helped her train with her armor. Lady Torrent was amazing. She drew power from the sea. She could breathe in the ocean. While underwater she could stop or start hurricanes. The sea was hers to control while in armor.

Six weeks later, she had been out on the streets of Nice passing out food to the homeless when she bumped into someone. She looked up to be greeted by a beautiful young woman with wavy, blonde hair and stunning midnight blue eyes. Before they even spoke, she felt her armor orb resonating in her pocket. She pulled it out and held it up just as the other female did the same thing.

The young woman introduced herself as Hana Utano, bearer of the Armor of the Lady Halo. Hana helped her distribute the food around before they sat down outside her mother's bakery to talk. They talked for hours about themselves then about their armors. Hana explained that she was on a mission to gather all of the Lady Guardians and go to Japan. Hana, however, was unsure of what was supposed to happen after that. Amaya pursed her lips together while listening to her. She gripped her rosary to pray. She felt a wave wash over her and a voice in her head told her to go.

Amaya invited Hana to dinner with her family that night. She broke the news to them, discussing what Hana and said and what she herself felt in her heart. With her family's blessing she planned to go to Japan in a month's time. During the waiting duration she withdrew her savings as well as her trust fund from the bank.

She arrived in Japan at the beginning of Spring. She was greeted at the airport by Hana and another young woman of Chinese descent. This one was rather tall for a female with short blue hair and dark blue eyes. She was built almost like a bodybuilder, but she kept her femininity. Her breasts were exceptionally large and her hips were close to being shaped like an hourglass. She introduced herself as Josephine Rei Faun, bearer of the Armor of the Lady Hardrock.

Hana had apparently had everything worked out. They arrived at a house just outside of the Shinjuku city limit. It was a two-story home that had apparently been bought and paid for with money from Hana, Josephine, herself, and two other people. It was a quaint little house that was secluded. Their closest neighbors were a couple miles away. The kitchen was big and would be adequate for large meals and get togethers. Amaya would have never guessed that it had a basement and an attic. The backyard was big as well with a porch that spanned the entire house.

After they had moved in was when she met Mia Koji, the bearer of the Armor of the Lady Strata. She was older than the rest of them and a teacher as well. She was petite with shoulder blade length brown hair. Amaya was shocked to know that Mia was of French ancestry. She was gentle, kind, and spoke with a kind of knowledge about the armors she was astounded to know she had.

It was during dinner one night that she met the final member of their "group". She, Josephine, and Mia had been dining on a roast duck she had made when Hana walked in with a ebon haired beauty. She was short with exceedingly long black and amethyst eyes that almost seemed like they were glowing. When she opened her mouth to introduce herself, Amaya almost chuckled. Her accent was absolutely adorable.

" _I'm Rekino Sanada. It's nice to meet, y'all."_

That was when Mia stood up almost in shock. They all found out then that Mia was engaged to Rekino's older brother, Ryo Sanada, who almost thought she was dead. It was quite a confusing situation. Just as soon as she thought that Rekino was absolutely adorable, the girl opened her mouth and spoke nothing but filth. While Josephine laughed, Amaya couldn't help but voice her opinion on how it was very unlady like for someone to speak the combination of words Rekino was speaking.

A high pitched pop had sounded in the room shortly after. A woman dressed in a traditional Japanese kimono with long purple hair wielding a staff stood in the middle of their kitchen. She introduced herself as Lady Kayura, the last living Ancient who was in charge of guiding and training the five young women. Mia and Kayura shared a quick, business like hug before they were transported to another dimension.

That was the first time they had all summoned their armor. A power had sung through Amaya's body like nothing before. Seeing the four other women in armor made her develop a bond she didn't think she could have. Knowing that she wasn't alone in bearing this burden of power made her sing praise to God.

They spent months after that training in the Nether Realm while they all found jobs or enrolled in school. Amaya had ended up finding a part time position at a local bakery in Shinjuku and enrolling at the local community college in Shinjuku. While they all took on jobs during the day as regular people, at night the five young women gathered together in the Nether Realm to train and learn to control their armored powers.

That was where they were now. Six months had passed since she had arrived in Japan. She missed home and her family dearly, but she knew that God had other plans for her. She was a protector; a Guardian.

A familiar aura pulled her out of her thoughts. She turned just as a young woman of Puerto Rican descent sat down next to her.

"It's not surprising that I would find you here."

Rubi Mercado. She was a local psychologist.

She was also an armor bearer. She was the Lady Guardian of the Armor of the Spider, the armor of summer. The opposite of Rajura. She was a mistress of illusions and used her powers to help those who suffered from extreme psychosis and other mental illnesses. She worked at a local clinic in Shinjuku with three other women who Rekino had dubbed "The Lady Seasonal Guardians".

"Rubi, it is good to see you. Come for prayer?"

Rubi came from a devout Catholic family just like her.

"Yes and no. I was actually looking for one of you girls. God just happened to send me here to you."

Intriguing. "Oh?"

"I had a patient today that I fear was in such a deep state of psychosis that he spoke of something foreboding. Will you come with me to the clinic?"

Amaya pursed her lips before nodding slowly, "Is this something I need to notify everyone else of?"

Rubi stood up, smoothing out the wrinkles of her scrubs, "I want to say no, but I'm afraid I have to say yes."

Amaya stood to follow her comrade while she got out her phone to alert her other friends.

* * *

Next:

 **Name:** Josephine Rei Faun  
 **Age:** 18  
 **Height:** 5'9"  
 **Weight:** 1730lbs  
 **Hair Color:** Dark blue, crop cut  
 **Eye Color:** Dark granite  
 **Ethnicity** : Chinese  
 **Birthdate:** May 1  
 **Birthplace:** Shanghai  
 **Astrological sign:** Taurus  
 **Blood Type** : B  
 **Favorite Sport:** American Football, softball  
 **Martial Art** : Iron Body Kung Fu  
 **Interests:** Fighting, sports, eating  
 **Dislikes:** Leftovers, disloyalty  
 **Language:** Chinese, Japanese  
 **Armor:** Lady Kongo/Lady Hardrock  
 **Virtue:** Justice  
 **Weapon:** Usually a tetsbo, iron bo, ith a naginata blade on the end. It can also change into to a three-joined nunchuku.

 **Family:**

● Li: Father. Restaurant owner.  
● Mao: Mother. Interior decorator.  
● Shao: Older sister. Fashion model  
● Xin: Older brother. Chef.  
● Grandfather: Leader of the clan.  
● Kento: Cousin.  
● Chan Ran: Uncle. Kento's father. Owns a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown, Yokohama.  
● Aunt: Kento's mother and a master of Chinese kung fu.  
● Host of cousins, nieces, and nephews

She bears the Guardian Armor of Hardrock and her virtue is "Justice".

Josephine acquired her armor at fourteen. She saw someone steal a precious treasure from a temple when she was on vacation with her family. She walked away from her family and confronted the thief, who was secretly hired by her grandfather as a test, and recovered the stolen item. When she returned it to the temple, her spirit of "GI" was awoken in her heart and Lady Kongo, Lady Hardrock, appeared before her.

Jo's orange yoroi is Kongo, Hard Rock or Diamond. She has a weapon that is usually a tetsubo, iron bo, with a naginata blade on one end. It can also change to a three-jointed nunchuku. Her special attack is called "Iron Stone Kinesis". She focuses energy at the end of her bo-staff and uses it to dislodge large parts of Earth slings it at her enemies. She can control the size of the bolder making them as big as a house or a planet.

 **Notable facts:**

1\. She has a high metabolism.  
2\. She started lifting weights when she was 12.  
3\. She began her iron body training at 14.  
4\. She isn't afraid of anything except the dark.  
5\. Her least favorite food is Italian.  
6\. She has a big heart and will give you the shirt off her back if necessary.  
7\. She has an IQ of 120.  
8\. She has kept her hair short since she was nine because of a group of boys that held her down and cut her hair.  
9\. She hates underwire bras.  
10\. Family is very important to her and she holds loyalty and honor above all else.  
11\. She enjoys boxing in her spare time.


End file.
